Victory celebration
"Hmm... Master, do you think this suits me...?"
Log, dressed in formal attire unlike his usual dungeon exploration outfit, asks hesitantly, looking uncomfortable.
"Yeah, it looks fine on you, so don’t worry. Where we’re going, you need to avoid showing any signs of uncertainty. If you don’t act confidently, troublesome people will take advantage of you."
I, also dressed in a party suit, give Log some advice.
The reason we’re dressed like this is because there’s a celebration being held to honor the explorers and soldiers, including us, who protected Daruane during the recent incident. Foreign envoys will be there too.
Though, everyone knows that this is just a formality.
"R-right! I’ll act confidently!"
"Anyway, since there will be other explorers and soldiers attending, they’ll likely overlook small mistakes, so just enjoy the party without thinking too much. I'll handle most of the external interactions along with Luna."
"Thank you! I’ll watch and learn from you and Lu-nee today!"
"That’s the spirit. Just keep that mindset, and you’ll do fine."
"Master! Sorry to keep you waiting~!"
As Log and I continue talking, the women from Twilight Moonbow approach us.
Like us, they’re dressed in splendid gowns instead of their usual clothes.
They were all attractive to begin with, but now they look even more stunning.
"No, we haven’t been waiting at all. — You all look great in those dresses. Really beautiful. Right, Log?"
"Y-yeah, they look great... Everyone suits them so well."
"Hehehe, thank you, Master, Log!"
Hearing our compliments, Sophia blushes and looks down, Carol smiles shyly, and Luna laughs gracefully, even more refined than usual, as each of them thanks us.
"Well then, shall we head to the party venue? Everyone ready?"
"Perfectly ready!"
"All good!"
"No problem, no problem!"
"Ready, no issues here."
After confirming everyone’s responses, we make our way to the party venue.
As we entered the venue, most of the people inside turned their attention toward us.
— Is that the "Hero of the Kingdom"?
— He’s the explorer who defeated that calamity and saved Dal Ane?
— He looks younger than I expected, maybe around twenty?
I could hear the hushed conversations of the people around us. …As expected, being stared at like this isn’t very comfortable.
"First, let’s greet Lord Marius, the host. Everyone, follow me."
I tried to hide my discomfort as we walked toward Marius, who was with Sophia and Selma’s brother, along with the members of Twilight Moonbow.
"Lord Marius, may I have a word?"
As we approached Marius, I called out to him.
"Ah, Orn-kun. Thank you for coming. You've been a great help, from assisting with my father's issue the other day to protecting this town from the magical beasts today. I really appreciate everything you've done. I want to thank you properly."
Marius, noticing us, greeted us with a warm expression and expressed his gratitude. The issue with his father likely referred to the matter of Sophia’s broken engagement, which led to the dismissal of the former Count Cloudel, Sophia’s father.
Apparently, the materials were already in place to remove Count Claudel even without me, but with my assistance, Princess Lucila decided to support Marius and his side.
With the princess's backing, Marius was able to smoothly take control of the Cloudel family and the countship, minimizing the resulting turmoil.
That said, there are still parts of Princess Lucila’s actions I don’t understand.
Though it’s hard to say, I do have some influence for a mere explorer. However, I don’t have the power to move a princess.
What was it that prompted Princess Rucira to back Marius?
"You're too kind. If my efforts were of any help, I’m glad."
"I will never forget your favor. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to rely on me. I’ll offer whatever help I can."
"Thank you. If anything comes up, I’ll be sure to ask for your assistance."
Marius nodded contentedly at my words before turning his attention to the members of Twilight Moonbow behind me.
"Thank you, everyone from Twilight Moonbow, for your help in resolving this situation. Please, enjoy the party tonight."
After speaking to the members of Twilight Moonbow, Marius seemed to hesitate for a moment, but after making up his mind, his expression became resolute, and he spoke again.
"—Sophia."
"Y-yes!"
Sophia seemed taken aback when Marius called her name, not expecting him to speak to her.
Seeing Sophia’s reaction, Marius briefly showed a faint smile before switching back to his noble expression.
"Could I have a moment of your time later? As the head of the Cloudel family, and as your older brother... I’d like to speak with Sophia."
"Uh, well..."
Sophia’s gaze wandered as she tried to process Marius's words.
"Don’t worry. It’s nothing bad. But if you don’t want to speak with me, that’s perfectly fine. I promise, if you decline, neither you nor your companions will suffer any consequences."
Sophia fell silent after hearing Marius’s words.
A silence hung between us.
Everyone waited for Sophia’s response, and after a moment, she looked directly at Marius and spoke.
"I understand. After the party, would it be alright if I came to your office, Lord Marius?"
Marius, called by the formal title Sophia used, showed a sad expression, but he nodded. "That’s fine. I’ll be waiting." He then turned and made his way toward other participants who had come to greet him.
"Sophia, are you sure you're alright? If you want, I can come with you to meet your brother."
Carol, seeing Sophia’s tense expression, offered, but Sophia shook her head.
"Thank you for worrying, Carol. But I’ll be fine. I’ve already found a way forward that I won’t lose track of. I’ll come back for sure. So when I return, I’d like you to greet me with a smile and say 'Welcome back.'"
Sophia said this with none of the nervousness she had shown when we first met a year ago.
"Got it! If that’s the case, leave it to me! I’ll be waiting at the place where you come back!"
After greeting Marius, I spent the rest of the time engaging in conversation with representatives from foreign delegations and others who approached me.
Some were a bit too eager, trying to persuade me to join their countries, making it difficult to relax, but I managed to navigate through it without any major issues.
"Hey, Orn. Is the recruitment rush over?"
Once the conversations had died down and I took a moment to breathe, Haruto-san called out to me.
"Yeah, finally."
"Well, after witnessing all that you’ve done, it’s natural for everyone to want to keep you close. Good job."
"Thanks. By the way, is it just you here? Where’s Fuuka?"
I asked, noticing that Fuuka wasn’t by his side. I had grown accustomed to seeing them together.
"Ah, our princess is over there."
Haruto-san pointed with his eyes toward the spot where Fuuka was.
Following his gaze, I saw Fuuka sitting near a table filled with food, enjoying her meal.
"Heh... Fuuka really doesn’t change."
Even at a party with foreign dignitaries attending, Fuuka was entirely focused on her food, hardly paying attention to anyone else. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
Her expression was as unchanging as ever, but the aura around her gave off a sense of happiness, clearly content with her meal.
Afterward, I spoke with Princess Lucila, gave my disciples some tips on how to handle themselves at parties, and managed to dodge yet another attempt at recruitment by foreign envoys. Before I knew it, the party was drawing to a close.
Tomorrow, we would return to Tutril.
Once back in Tutril, we would resume our activities as Night Sky Silver Rabbits explorers, gathering dungeon materials and continuing our efforts to conquer the Great Labyrinth.
In addition to that, the war between the Kingdom and the Empire had already begun, and as an executive of the clan, I would have to steer the organization through the rapidly changing political landscape.
Busy yet fulfilling days lay ahead. — Or so I thought.